A bad deal for ordinary taxpayers
A no-deal is unpredictable, it will impact different sectors in different ways PASCHAL DONOHOE DAIL YESTERDAY
Leaders are taking us down road towards climate catastrophe EXTINCTION REBELLION DUBLIN YESTERDAY
it will impact different sectors in different ways. Our response will demand flexibility.”
Concluding his Budget speech, Mr Donohoe said: “Brexit is a great challenge. But our country will grow and our economy will develop.
“Budget 2020 aims to make progress on much, at a time of risk, but also at a time of opportunity.
“It aims to further improve our national finances while the demands on public spending are so many.
“It marks a necessary step in our response to climate change while conscious of the needs and difficulties this step creates.
“And it does all this while contindictable, uing to get our economy ready for Brexit.”
Fianna Fail’s
Michael Mcgrath did not criticise the Budget but he made it clear it would be the last one his party facilitates.
The finance spokesman added the decision to allow the Budget to pass does not mean his party endorsed it.
Mr Mcgrath said: “Fianna Fail has afforded the Government the time and space to focus on delivering the best possible Brexit outcome for Ireland.
“That was and remains the right approach from the largest
WARNING Mr Mcgrath party in Opposition given the enormity of what is at stake.
“Our decision to allow a fourth Budget to pass should not be misread as an endorsement of this Government.
“Like many of our citizens, we are deeply frustrated at the Government’s obsession with spin and PR and the failure to deliver where it matters.
“The people will have their opportunity to give their verdict on the Government, but for now the priority has to be to steer the country through this Brexit storm.”
IT might have been billed as the “no-deal Brexit Budget” but it has proved to be a bad one for ordinary people.
While hundreds of millions of euro has been put aside to bail out big business in anticipation of a hard Brexit, workers and those on benefits have all but been forgotten.
There is not an extra cent for the low paid to make up for a rise in the cost of living while social welfare rates have been frozen.
There was absolutely nothing in this Budget for the vast majority of families, pensioners or the working poor.
It is unclear if the carbon tax will do anything to avert climate damage but it will increase fuel poverty.
While Brexit certainly poses grave threats to the country the Finance Minister has been accused of using the situation as an excuse not to extend help to those who need it most.
When Paschal Donohoe didn’t deem it necessary to increase the bank levy or hammer the vulture funds paying little or no tax there is every reason to believe that is the case.
He acknowledged these huge real estate corporations are playing fast and loose with the tax system but did not propose a single new measure close off the loopholes they use.
It was ordinary workers who carried the can for the banking crisis and Fine Gael must not be allowed to force the public to cover the cost of Brexit as appears to be the case.